Impulse distributing means



IMPULSE y DISTRIBUTING MANS ,Filed Deo. 18, 1940 ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 7, 1942 I Y 2,278,980 rMPULsE DISTRIBUTING MEANS Clyde J. Fitch, Endwell, N. Y., assigner to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 18, 1940, Serial No. 370,676

4 Claims.

This invention relates to impulse distributing means particularly adaptable for signaling systems, such as start-stop printing telegraph systems. A suitable system employing the present distributing means is described in co-pending application Serial No. 370,675, led Dec. 18, 1940.

The present impulse distributing means consists of two separate sets of conducting rings and segments and associated brushes, which are disposed in an arcuate relationship with respect to the related conducting rings and segments. Actuating means for effecting relative step by step movement between said segments and brushes are provided and comprise a pair of electromagnetic means, which must be energized, alternately, to effect the said step by step movement. Additional means are provided, whereby the sets of conducting rings and segments are locked in their advanced positions, as long, as one of the said electromagnetic means remains energized.

Therefore, one of the objects of the present invention resides in the provision of an improved distributor means, the operation of which is controlled by a pair of actuating means, which actuating means are arranged, whereby it is imperative to effect energization of the actuating means, alternately, in order to operate the distributor means.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of means, whereby the distributor means remains locked in its'advanced position, as long as one of the actuating means remains energized.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of an improved,` simplified, and more compact construction of a start-stop type of distributor means.

Other objects of the'invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has Vbeen contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a right end view of the distributor.

Fig. 2 is a left end View of the distributor.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken along the lines 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic showing of the dis- L tributor rings and related brushes.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 4, the impulse distributing means is shown to comprise a plurality of conducting rings I0, II, I2 and I3 which are xedly mounted on a common shaft 9 suitably journaled in the supporting frame 2 I. Centrally located on said shaft, and secured thereto, is an insulating spacer sleeve I4 to which in turn is secured a driving ratchet I5. Two spring urged actuating pawls I6 and Il, which are adapted to cooperate with the teeth I8 of ratchet I5, are pivotally supported by the arms I9 and 20, respectively. The latter are rotatably mountedin the supporting frame 2I and, urged by springs 22 to the normal positions shown. Attached to the said arms are the armatures 23 and 24 of actuating magnets' 25 and 26, respectively, the latter being suitably mounted on the said supporting frame.

The spacing of the ratchet teeth I8 and the shapes thereof, and the strokes of the actuating pawls I6 and I1 are such that alternate operation of the pawls is necessary to advance the ratchet I5 and shaft 9 step by step. For eX- ample, with the described elements in the home position as shown, the stroke of pawl I1 is insuficient to advance the ratchet one step, therefore, it is understood, that energization of magnet 28 at this particular time is ineffective to advance the ratchet. However, energization of magnet 25 is effective, at this time, to cause advancement of the ratchet one step, by attracting its armature 23, and effecting a partial clockwise rotation of arm I9, thereby urging the spring urged pawl I6 upwardly to engage one of the ratchet teeth. The advancement just effected is sufcient to position one of the ratchet teeth in the path of the pawl I1, whenever the related magnet 26 is energized. Until the latter magnet is energized, additional energizations of magnet 25 are ineffective to cause further advancement of theA ratchet.'

Attention should also be directed to the fact, that the ratchet teeth are shaped, so that when one of the magnets is energized to attract its related armature and effect partial rotation ,of4

the associated arm, the free end 2l of the said arm (at the end of its stroke) engages directly one Vof 'the teeth, thereby preventing overthrow of the ratchet and also locking the ratchet in the advanced position, as long as the said magnet is energized. Each of the conducting rings I0 and II are secured on individual insulating collars 28, which collars are suitably fixed to the 'shaft `9. One of the collars is holloWed at one end to receive the conducting ring I2, as Well as ring I3, which ring is secured to the shaft 9 in conductive relationship thereto. The conducting ring I2 is provided with four radially extending conducting segments I2a.-I2d. Four equally spaced i conducting segments IIlaf-II'ldl and IIa-Hd,

said brushes are fixed in different planes, and

positioned so as to cooperate with the following sections of the conducting rings: brushes BI, B3, B5, and BP are positioned to extend in the path of the conducting, segments IIa-I Id, brush BS is positioned to extend inthe path of the conducting segments I 2a-I2d, Yand brush BC3 is positioned to engage, continuously the conducting ring II; brushes B2, B4, B6 are positioned to extend in the Vpath of the conducting segments Illa-lod, brushBC2 is positioned to engage continuously the conducting ring III, and brush BC'I is positioned to engage continuously the conductingring I3.

As mentioned, upon alternate energization of the'magnets 25 and 2,.the said conductingrings and associated segmentsare advanced,'from the home position shown', to engage diierent ones of the associated conducting brushes.l Each step, of the advanced rings and segments, is equivalent to a distance equal tor half the distances separating the conducting tips of the equally spaced brushes BP, BI, B3, B and B2, B4, B6. The width of each of the conducting segments IIJa-Id and IIa-I Idis approximately equivalent to one half v,the distances separating the conducting tips of thelatter mentioned brushes. The width of each of the conducting segments I 2a--I2d is approximately half of the width of one of the segments Ia-Id or IIa-I I d. rDuring eight successive steps of advancement of the said rings and segments, a complete cycle of operation of the associated brushes is effected. At the home position shown inligs. 1 to 3, and diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 4, the brush BS engages theV conducting segment I2b, brush BP engages the conducting segment Ila.. Since brushes BCI, BC2, and BC3 engage continuously the related conducting rings no reference will be made to these brushes during the following analyzation.

Upon completion of the first step, the contact between segment IIa and brush BP is broken, the contact between segment I2b and brush BS is broken, and contact is made between conducting segment IIb and brush BI. Upon the second step, the segment IIb remains in contact with brush BI, and contact is made between segment IDb and brush B2; the third step, the contact between segment I I b and brushv BI is broken, and contact is made between the said segment and brush B3, the segment IIlb remains in contact with brush B2; fourth step, the contact between segment Ib. and brush B2 is broken, and contact is made between this rsegment and brush B4, the segment IIb remains in contact with brush B3; fifth step, they contact between segment IIb and brush B3 is broken, and contact is made between this segment and brush mined order.

B5, the segment I 0b remains in contact with brush B4; sixth step, the contact between segment I 0b and brush B4 is broken, and contact is made between this segment and brush B6, theA segment IIb remains in contact with brush B5; seventh step, the contact between segment IIb` and brush B5 is broken, and contact is made between this segment and brush BP, the segment I 0b remains in contact with 'brush B6; eighth step, the contact between segment 'lub and brush B6 is broken, contact is made between segment I2c and brush BSand the segment IIb remains in contact with 'brush BP. vThe conducting `rings and segments Vand the related brushes are now in a home. position similar to the one indicated in the gures.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modication it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes inthe form and details of the device illustratedv andinf itsi operation .may be 'made4 by those skilled in `the art without departing. from. the spirit of the. invention..V It is theV intention, therefore, to be` limited only as indicated by the. scope of the following claims.v

What is` claimed. is:

l. An impulse distributing means of the charx acter described comprising, in combination, a plurality of sets of conducting segments, a plurality of sets of stationary brushes arranged in arcuate relationship with the said sets of conducting segments, each set of brushes adapted to engage thesegments of therelated setin predetermined order, a'commonshaft including a ratchet wheel for supporting 4the said sets of conducting segments, a pair ofv electromagnets, and means controlled by said magnets, upon a1- ternate energzation thereof, for cooperating with the ratchet wheel to effect step by step advancement ofthe conducting segments thereby presenting the latterto said related brushes in a predetermined order. Y

2. An impulse distributing means of the character described comprising, in combination, a plurality of conducting segments, a plurality of stationary brushes arranged inarcuate relationship with the conducting segments andadapted to engage said segments in'predetermined order, a pair of electromagnets, and means controlled by said magnets, upon alternate lenergization thereof, for producing, step by step, advancevment of the conducting segments therebyr presenting the latter .to said brushes in a predeter- 3. The invention set forth in the preceding claim vcharacterized by the fact that means are provided whereby successive energizations of the same magnet of said pair are ineffective to produce an advancement of the said conducting segments. y

4. The invention set forth in claim 2 characterized bythe fact that means are provided whereby the advanced conducting segments remain locked in the advanced position upon susc tained energization of any one `of said magnets CLYDE J. FITCH. 

